The invention relates to a device and a method for automatic storage of an automotive vehicle transversely relative to its longitudinal axis on a parking space of a storage facility.
In the case of known automatic multi-storey car parks, transport robots installed in a fixed manner or systems based on pallets are used in order to park vehicles automatically. It proves to be difficult to lift and to transport vehicles from a parking area since the ground clearance of vehicles only makes available a small space for transport machines. The most varied of vehicle sizes are found in current road traffic: small cars with a very small wheelbase but also vehicles, such as for example top-of-the-range SUVs, with a maximum wheelbase. This makes parking with an automatic system difficult and leads to a multi-storey car park which is not utilised efficiently since the markedly different vehicles are parked on parking spaces of the same size.
The difference in length between small cars and top-of-the-range vehicles, in the case of standard models, is up to 3,500 mm. In known automatic car parks—as described in KR 20070113190 A—no or only very little consideration can be given to the different vehicle sizes. Systems based on pallets have a standard pallet size and are generally designed such that they only park vehicles up to 5,000 mm length in order to achieve a certain efficiency. Automatic parking systems which—as described in WO 2004 045932 A1—receive vehicles in the direction of travel (longitudinal direction) cannot park vehicles in parking spaces of different sizes since the length of the transport system corresponds to the maximum length of the vehicles to be parked. Even in the case of receiving mechanisms which consist of two receiving trucks—as described in US 2899087 A or in DE 3909702 A1—parking on parking spaces of different sizes is only possible to a very small extent. Therefore, this is not applied in known automatic parking systems since problems with respect to construction technology make it impossible to design the receiving trucks to be so small that they can park vehicles precisely bumper to bumper. Furthermore, known parking systems with receiving trucks can park at most 2 vehicles in a row. Since the vehicle sizes vary so greatly, it is therefore also impossible with this solution to park vehicles really efficiently.
A further problem of the currently known automatic car parks is that a machine unit in one system section is responsible for approx. 40 to 80 vehicles. In an automatic multi-storey car park of 300 parking spaces, 4 system areas which are operated by respectively one machine unit are hence produced. This means that, in the case of a system failure, a parked vehicle in the corresponding area of responsibility of the machine cannot be accessed since either the pallet, the vehicle receiving mechanisms or the conveying lift blocks the system. It is possible in none of the known systems to request a further machine from a different system section in order to retrieve the vehicles.
Furthermore, it is not possible in the case of known automatic car parks that a plurality of pallets or vehicle receiving mechanisms work together in parallel operation in the same system section if for example a plurality of vehicles is requested at the same time from the same system section. The vehicles cannot therefore be retrieved in parallel as fast as possible. This is not possible since the machines are constructionally tied to their position, i.e. generally by a linear guide.
In the case of known automatic parking garages, vehicles cannot be retrieved manually in the case of complete plant failure. Neither vehicles which are situated on a pallet nor vehicles which have been stored by receiving mechanisms in a stacked storage system made of steel or concrete can be moved.
Known parking systems also cannot be incorporated in already existing multi-storey car parks without great constructional complexity. In the case of the known systems, no significantly improved degree of surface utilisation is achieved even with complex conversion of a traditional car park into an automatic car park since the vehicles—as explained already—cannot be parked corresponding to their size.
Furthermore, no communication between customer and the parking system takes place with currently known parking systems. The only contact with the customer takes place anonymously at the payment machine.
In a known device according to DE 42 16 457 C2, gripping arms which can be extended horizontally and perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the conveying means and moved under the automotive vehicle are fitted. The gripping arms which are fitted parallel can be extended in the manner of a telescope and can be extended on both sides of the conveying means. The conveying means can be moved horizontally or vertically. It is difficult with this type of conveying means to park a plurality of vehicles adjacently in the transverse direction since the gripping arms, in the case of three parallel-parked vehicles, would have to extend approx. 6,600 mm. It is also difficult with gripping arms which are far extended to absorb the load caused by the received vehicle at the end of the telescope-like gripping arms. Lifting the automotive vehicle is effected there solely by the gripping of the gripping arms, which are moved towards each other, on the wheel tyres. For transport, the automotive vehicle is deposited on a depositing area of the conveying means.